Luton boss urges his side to become more potent

Mike Simmonds

Hatters boss Nathan Jones is fully aware his side need to become more potent if they are to turn performances into points this season.

Despite Luton’s display’s clearly improving since the former Brighton & Hove Albion first team coach took over, he has seen his side score just three goals in four games so far.

“I could just have a way of playing that’s slightly more crash, bang and may bring a little bit more oohs and aahs, but that’s not the way I’m looking to play.”

Nathan Jones

Ahead of this weekend’s trip to play-off chasing Wycombe Wanderers, Jones said: “We need to be more potent in the final third. We’ve had umpteen opportunities (against Yeovil) when we got in there, but one, we give it away, two, we made bad decisions and ultimately that’s what’s cost us and why we didn’t win the game.

“It won’t happen overnight. Certain things we’re asking of them, certain things we need to do and certain things probably every team in the world apart from Barcelona or maybe Real Madrid, who don’t need to work on that kind of stuff would do, because they have individuals who can hurt teams.

“We have players who can do that, it’s just about getting them confident about getting little structures so when we do get in areas we know what we’re looking to do.

“We have worked on that, and hopefully we’ll see the benefit.”

With Jones changing the style of play at Kenilworth Road into a far more possession based approach, he appreciates it will take time for the squad toput his ideas into practice.

He continued: “We’re trying to play a certain way and that’s not reinventing the wheel in anything we do, we’re just trying to play a certain way.

“The players are adapting, they’re taking stuff on board, I think we’re having a steady progression.

“I could just have a way of playing that’s slightly more crash, bang and may bring a little bit more oohs and aahs, but that’s not the way I’m looking to play.

“I think we’ve had a real steady progress and looking to build on that every week.”

Striker Joe Pigott was handed his full debut for the Town in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Yeovil and Jones is confident he will start scoring as his match fitness increases.

He said: “I know Joe and Joe lacks a few games at the minute, but he’ll get there and we’ll see the best of Joe.

“He’s a player I believe in, a player I know that can score goals, he has scored goals wherever he’s been and will score goals for me, that’s why I trust him.

“It was a steady sort of full debut, but he’ll get better and get stronger and get sharper and that’s what we’re looking forward too.

“Hopefully he’ll show more as I want that type of player here who are technically good, that are fit, that are hungry, that want to do well for us and I think he’s one of them.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Olly Lee made his first start under Jones in midweek as the boss felt he was someone who could grasp the new direction in which the side are heading.

He added: “I thought at times he was excellent, overall, a few things he needs to improve on and that’s why he probably hasn’t played before.

“He needs to brush up on those things, his ball retention was excellent, he kept feeding other people and that’s what we need him to do.

“He’s one who’ll get stronger in terms of games and confidence.”

“I just want us to have more possession, because the more possession you have, the less opportunities opposition get against you.

“In this league teams go at you and they want to hurt you quickly. We want to limit those opportunities they get to do that, so that’s why Olly was brought in and I thought he did very well.”